With Frankenstein cars, 'Software' more important than F1 drivers

Editor’s Note: To appease the ‘tree-huggers’ Formula 1, the FIA has managed to make the 2026 45% electric Formula 1 cars ‘Frankenstein Cars’ with all sorts of gizmos that take away the pure driving talent needed to be a World Champion.

(GMM) Former Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko says Formula 1’s new 2026 era will belong more to software engineers than star drivers – and believes Mercedes currently holds the upper hand.

The 82-year-old Austrian, long regarded as the discoverer of Max Verstappen, has kept a low profile since leaving his official role.

Speaking to Switzerland’s Blick, Marko admitted he is not rushing back to the paddock.

“I don’t feel any urge to show up at the races again yet, but I’ll keep myself informed daily. And I’ll be sitting in front of the TV screen in Australia at 5am,” he said from his home in Graz.

With radically new chassis and power unit regulations for 2026, Marko expects a steep learning curve.

“We all don’t know what to expect. Computer games on the steering wheel might not be good for the image,” he said. “But let’s stay positive.”

He suggested the sport’s character has fundamentally changed.

“Full throttle was its daily bread – forget it. And when the drivers used to yank on the gearshift and know exactly why they’d retired – forget it.”

For Marko, the key battleground is no longer purely mechanical.

“The software specialists are now more important than the drivers,” he declared. “They have to write a new program for almost every race. And the driver is back in school every time.”

Energy deployment, battery cooling and fuel efficiency are expected to be decisive under the new rules, particularly in hot conditions like Bahrain, where testing begins this week in temperatures approaching 30 degrees.

“It will be interesting to see who did their homework in Barcelona,” Marko said. “But cooling the crucial battery could be problematic.”

He also pointed to the reduced 770kg minimum weight as a critical performance factor, noting that 10 kilograms can be worth almost four tenths of a second per lap.

On the early competitive picture, Marko named a familiar rival.

“Mercedes seems to have a slight advantage,” he said. “But can they translate it all into success? Because fuel also plays a crucial role this time. Red Bull has done well with their own engine so far – and they need to if they want to keep Verstappen happy.”

With so many unknowns heading into Melbourne, Marko predicts surprises.

“The many unknowns will surprise some,” he said.